Section 1. Section 53E-4-409 is enacted to read:53E-4-409. Open educational resources -- Development and implementation.(1)As used in this section:(a)"Open educational resources" means teaching, learning, and research materials that are in the public domain or released under an open license that permits free use, adaptation, and distribution.(b)"Utah core standards" means the standards described in Section 53E-4-202.(2)Notwithstanding any other provision in this part, and subject to legislative appropriation, the state board shall:(a)contract with one or more qualified entities to develop comprehensive open educational resources for elementary grades that:(i)align with Utah core standards;(ii)meet the instructional needs of students in kindergarten through grade 8 suitable for the age of students at the grade level for which the materials are developed;(iii)reflect Utah values and priorities;(iv)provide accessibility to students with disabilities in compliance with federal and state law; and(v)are available in digital and, where appropriate, print formats;(b)ensure the open educational resources include:(i)comprehensive instructional materials for all core subject areas;(ii)teacher resources, including:(A)scopes and sequences;(B)topics by grade level;(C)text selection guides;(D)unit and lesson-level implementation guides;(E)daily lesson plans;(F)formative, interim, and summative assessments; and (G)professional development materials;(iii)student materials and resources, including:(A)student-facing instructional materials such as graphic organizers;(B)guided practice materials;(C)independent practice materials;(D)digital learning resources;(E)project and performance tasks; and (F)other classroom supports; and(iv)implementation guides to support LEAs in the adoption and use of the materials;(c)establish quality standards and review processes for materials developed under this section;(d)ensure that:(i)the state owns all intellectual property rights, including copyright, in the open educational resources developed under this section; and(ii)the open educational resources are openly licensed under a Creative Commons license or equivalent license to allow an LEA to use, adapt, customize, and distribute the materials without charge; and(e)make the open educational resources available through a centralized digital platform accessible to all LEAs and the public.(3)The state board shall ensure that the Instructional Materials Commission does not review or approve the open educational resources developed under this section.(4)In developing open educational resources under this section, the state board shall:(a)consult with LEAs, teachers, curriculum specialists, and other education stakeholders;(b)establish timelines for phased development and implementation;(c)provide opportunities for pilot programs and field testing before statewide release; and(d)ensure ongoing review and updates to maintain alignment with Utah core standards and educational best practices.(5)The state board may not require an LEA to adopt or use the open educational resources developed under this section.(6)The state board shall:(a)make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, to:(i)establish standards and procedures for contracting under this section;(ii)establish quality standards and suitability rubrics for open educational resources developed under this section;(iii)establish procedures for LEA access to and use of the open educational resources; and(iv)establish procedures for ongoing review, updates, and maintenance of the open educational resources;(b)upon request, report to the Education Interim Committee regarding:(i)progress on curriculum development under this section, including timelines and milestones;(ii)expenditures from appropriations under this section;(iii)LEA adoption and use of the open educational resources;(iv)feedback from LEAs, teachers, and other stakeholders, including parents; and(v)plans and progress for updates, maintenance, and expansion of the open educational resources.

Section 2. Section 53F-9-204 is amended to read:53F-9-204. Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account.(1)There is created within the Uniform School Fund a restricted account known as the "Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account."(2)(a)Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), the account shall be funded from the following revenue sources:(i)15% of the difference between, as determined by the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst:(A)the estimated amount of ongoing Income Tax Fund and Uniform School Fund revenue available for the Legislature to appropriate for the next fiscal year; and(B)the amount of ongoing appropriations from the Income Tax Fund and Uniform School Fund in the current fiscal year; and(ii)other appropriations as the Legislature may designate.(b)If the appropriation described in Subsection (2)(a) would cause the ongoing appropriations to the account to exceed 11% of Uniform School Fund appropriations described in Section 53F-9-201.1 for the same fiscal year, the Legislature shall appropriate only those funds necessary to ensure that the ongoing appropriations to the account equal 11% of Uniform School Fund appropriations for that fiscal year.(3)Subject to the availability of ongoing appropriations to the account, in accordance with Utah Constitution, Article X, Section 5, Subsection (4), the ongoing appropriation to the account shall be used to fund:(a)except for a year described in Subsection (3)(b) or , (c), or (d), one-time appropriations to the public education system, including at least $65,000,000 to the Catalyst Center Grant Program described in Section 53E-3-507.1;(b)the Minimum School Program for a year in which Income Tax Fund revenue and Uniform School Fund revenue are insufficient to fund:(i)ongoing appropriations to the public education system; and(ii)enrollment growth and inflation estimates, as defined in Section 53F-9-201.1; and(c)the Minimum School Program for a year in which changes in federal tax policy cause Income Tax Fund revenue to decrease by an amount equal to or greater than the amount required to fund enrollment growth and inflation estimates, as defined in Section 53F-9-201.1; or(c)(d)the minimum basic local amount as defined in Section 53F-2-301 for a year in which the minimum basic tax rate, as defined in Section 53F-2-301, is insufficient to generate the amount described in Subsection 53F-2-301(2)(a).(4)(a)The account shall earn interest.(b)All interest earned on account money shall be deposited in the account.(5)On or before December 31, 2023, and every three years thereafter, the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst shall:(a)review the percentages described in Subsections (2)(a)(i) and (2)(b); and(b)recommend to the Executive Appropriations Committee any changes based on the review described in Subsection (5)(a).(6)In preparing budget bills for a given fiscal year, the Executive Appropriations Committee shall make the one-time appropriations described in Subsection (3)(a) by appropriating at least the lesser of 10% of the total amount of the one-time appropriations to:(a)the cost of providing 32 paid professional hours for teachers in accordance with Section 53F-7-203;(b)the amount to make the distribution required under Section 53F-2-527;(c)the cost of the Stipends for Future Educators Grant Program described in Section 53F-5-223; and(d)the cost of the Rural School Sports Facilities Grant Program described in Section 53F-10-303.(7)No later than October 15 of each year, the state board shall report to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst an estimated cost for each of the one-time appropriations described in Subsection (6).

Section 3. Section 53G-7-203 is amended to read:53G-7-203. Kindergartens -- Establishment -- Funding -- Assessment.(1)Kindergartens are an integral part of the state's public education system.(2)(a)Each LEA governing board shall provide kindergarten classes free of charge for kindergarten children residing within the district or attending thea charter school.(b)Each LEA governing board shall:(i)provide a half-day kindergarten option for a student that comprises the minimum standards for half-day kindergarten that the state board establishes, in accordance with Subsection (4)(a)(iii), if the student's parent requests a half-day option; and(ii)(A)inform parents of the availability of the option to register for a designated full-curriculum half-day kindergarten option at the time of all kindergarten registration, by email, posters, or other announcements when a parent requests kindergarten registration; and(B)provide the option to register for a designated half-day kindergarten option at the time of registration;(iii)provide a dedicated kindergarten class specifically designated as a half-day kindergarten class when enrollment of half-day kindergarten students at an individual school or a regional school exceeds a minimum of 18 students;(iv)when enrollment of half-day kindergarten students at an individual school exceeds a minimum of 18 students, designate the school as a half-day kindergarten provider for the improvement of recruiting teachers that prefer half-day teaching;(v)inform parents regarding the additional educational resources and opportunities available to parents who select the half-day kindergarten option; and(vi)ensure that a half-day kindergarten student who is registered in a class that includes full-day kindergarten students receives instruction that at least meets the minimum standards for half-day kindergarten that the state board establishes, in accordance with Subsection (4)(a)(iii).(c)Nothing in this Subsection (2):(i)allows an LEA governing board to require a student to participate in a full-day kindergarten program;(ii)modifies the non-compulsory status of kindergarten under Chapter 6, Part 2, Compulsory Education; or(iii)requires a student who only attends a half day of kindergarten to participate in dual enrollment under Section 53G-6-702.(3)Kindergartens established under Subsection (2) shall receive state money under Title 53F, Public Education System -- Funding.(4)(a)The state board shall:(i)develop and collect data from a kindergarten assessment that the board selects by rule;(ii)make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, regarding the administration of and reporting regarding the assessment described in Subsection (4)(a)(i); and(iii)establish minimum standards for half-day kindergarten.(b)An LEA shall:(i)administer the assessment described in Subsection (4)(a) to each kindergarten student; and(ii)report to the state board the results of the assessment described in Subsection (4)(b)(i) in relation to each kindergarten student in the LEA.(5)The state board shall require LEAs to report average daily membership for all kindergarten students who attend kindergarten on a schedule that is equivalent in length to the schedule for grades 1 through 3 with the October 1 data described in Section 53F-2-302.(6)In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the state board shall make rules to:(a)beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, require a student to be toilet trained before being enrolled in public school;(b)establish requirements for an LEA's enrollment process to include assurances from a parent that the parent's student is toilet trained; and(c)create exemptions from the requirement in Subsection (6)(a) for a student who is not able to be toilet trained before enrolling because of a condition that is subject to federal child find requirements or described in an IEP or Section 504 accommodation plan.

Section 4. Section 53G-7-228 is enacted to read:53G-7-228. Personal care independence standards -- School enrollment.In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the state board shall make rules to:(1)beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, require a student to demonstrate personal care independence by being toilet trained before being enrolled in a public school;(2)establish requirements for an LEA's enrollment process to include assurances from a parent that the parent's student meets the personal care independence requirements described in Subsection (1); and(3)create exemptions from the requirement in Subsection (1) for a student who is not able to meet personal care independence requirements because of a condition that is subject to federal child find requirements found in Section 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3), Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and 34 C.F.R. Sec. 300.111 or described in an IEP or Section 504 accommodation plan.

Section 5. Effective Date.This bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.